Creativity from constraints: Theory and applications to education

Abstract

This article advances an integration of the concepts of creativity, constraints, and education, which may appear as a paradoxical combination, and provides both a theoretical foundation and practical applications. The theoretical points are grounded in empirical findings about the role of constraints in creativity and in particular by a distinction between two functions of constraints: exclusionary and focusing. The practical points suggest best practices for the cultivation of creative skills in students, and include a four-step guiding instructional framework. Illustrations of areas in education where constraints play an especially pronounced role in creativity are structured from a broader level of analysis (content knowledge and skills, domain specificity, curricular standards, and discovery learning), to more specific teaching tools (rubrics, the use of examples, and class activities). Although both a school setting and constraints may appear to inhibit creativity, we argue it is possible to promote creativity in the classroom. One way to do so is for educators to implement constraint-based strategies to develop student creativity.